Ahead of Friday’s sixth stage, three teams dropped out as one after positive tests were recorded among their ranks. The Bahrain, Emirates and Alpecin racing teams were affected. In addition, other professionals from other teams received Covid findings and were eliminated – above all the overall leader Alexander Wlasow (Bora). A total of almost 30 drivers no longer competed.
The World Tour race, which lasted until Sunday and which only has a little more than 90 participants, was not stopped on Friday. However, the frequent cases are a bad omen for the Tour de France, which begins on July 1st. In addition, individual corona infections have already been recorded on the parallel tours in Belgium and Slovenia. This is also the case in the Emirates team of Tour title holder Tadej Pogacar, who is completing a final endurance test for the Tour of France in his Slovenian homeland this week.
In Switzerland, the Bahrain racing team also stated in the course of its withdrawal announcement that Hermann Pernsteiner from Lower Austria, who had left the day before due to gastrointestinal problems, had meanwhile also received a positive Covid result. In the Emirates squad on Friday it was the Swiss Marc Hirschi and Joel Suter. In addition to Vlasow, Bora also caught the German Anton Palzer. Teams EF and Israel also recorded several cases. The tour ends on Sunday in Vaduz.
Some corona findings had already been recorded in various teams on Thursday. The jumbo racing team concerned had therefore withdrawn from the race as a precautionary measure. In addition to Pernsteiner, his compatriot Michael Gogl (Alpecin) was also unable to compete. However, Corona was not solely responsible for the 17 tasks, but also the great heat and fall injuries.
Source: Nachrichten
